Dollars for Docs: Talk With Your Doctor

https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/
You can print this page and show it to your doctor.

This database was last updated in October 2019 and should only be used as a historical snapshot. Newer data is available at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Open Payments site.

ProPublica's Dollars for Docs database lets you search for payments to U.S.-based doctors made by pharmaceutical and medical device companies between August 2013 and December 2018. The disclosure of these payments is required under the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, a provision of the 2010 Affordable Care Act.

About This Information

  • The information that appears here comes directly from the federal government. Companies must attest to its accuracy, and doctors have the ability to contest information they believe is in error.
  • This site includes payments for such activities as speaking, consulting, meals, travel and royalties. It does not include payments for clinical research.
  • It is legal for companies to make payments to doctors as long as the payments are not a kickback or inducement to use their products.
  • Some doctors say collaborative relationships, particularly those involving research, are necessary to develop new treatments and cures. But many ethicists have raised questions about the payments, and studies show that they may influence doctors' prescribing decisions.
  • Only you can decide if this matters to you and if so, whether you want to talk with your doctor about it. If you plan to talk with your doctor (or if you already have), please help us by filling out this short survey: propub.li/participate-d4d

Preparing for Your Conversation

If you decide you'd like to talk to your doctor about this, please keep in mind:

  • Many health care professionals in our database have similar names, so you should start by asking your doctor if the person mentioned in this payment record is really him/her.
  • Your doctor may not know he or she is listed as receiving payments, especially if the payments are small. You can direct your doctor to this site (the URL will be printed at the top of the payment record) or directly to the government's site here: https://openpaymentsdata.cms.gov/physician/227819
  • Some doctors are happy to discuss this information with you. Others might not be. The best approach is to ask questions and to not be accusatory.

Questions You Might Want to Ask

  • Is this you?
  • What type of work do you do with these companies?
  • Have you prescribed me any drugs that are manufactured by companies you've taken payments from?
  • Are there non-drug alternatives that I may want to consider first?
  • Are there less expensive generic alternatives to the drugs you have prescribed?
  • What devices have you used in my care that are manufactured by companies you've taken payments from?

Dollars for Docs: Talk With Your Doctor

https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/doctors/pid/227819
If you spot an error, please let us know at [email protected].

This database was last updated in October 2019 and should only be used as a historical snapshot. Newer data is available at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Open Payments site.

SAVAS MAVRIDIS

Listed Specialty: Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery)
1086 FRANKLIN ST, M7, JOHNSTOWN, PA, 15905-4305

2018 Payments: At a Glance

24

payments

$8,083

payment total

11

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Education
 2 $7,000
Food and Beverage
 22 $1,083

Drugs & Devices in 2018

Totals listed below account for all payments from that mention this product. Beginning in 2016, the government began classifying products as drugs, devices, biologics or medical supplies. Below, you will see drugs (drugs and biologics) and devices (devices and medical supplies). If a payment record mentions more than one product, the entire value will be included in each of those products. When no products are listed, they are not included in the list below.

Product Name Product Type Payments†
DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM

device

 $7,000
ASSURITY PACEMAKER

device

 $148
MERLIN CONNECTIVITY AND REMOTE

device

 $129
QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR

device

 $127
PACEMAKERS

device

 $122
FORTIFY ASSURA, ELLIPSE ICD

device

 $108
LIFEVEST

device

 $99
CONNECTIVITY AND REMOTE CARE

device

 $71
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $49
INSPIRIS RESILIA AORTIC VALVE

device

 $41
ON-X

device

 $36
COR KNOT

device

 $31
EPI-SENSE GUIDED COAGULATION SYSTEM WITH VISITRAX, MODELS

device

 $30
AORTIC TISSUE VALVE - PERCEVAL

device

 $26
AORTIC TISSUE VALVE - SOLO SMART

device

 $19
VNS THERAPY

device

 $17
ENDURANT

device

 $16
EDWARDS INTUITY ELITE VALVE SYSTEM

device

 $15
† May not add up to dollar total at top of page, since a payment record may not be associated with any product or can be associated with several products.

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 10, 2018 $4,500 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Education INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Aug 10, 2018 $2,500 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Education INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Oct 19, 2018 $148 ASSURITY PACEMAKER Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 1, 2018 $129 MERLIN CONNECTIVITY AND REMOTE Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Aug 17, 2018 $127 QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jan 25, 2018 $122 PACEMAKERS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jun 18, 2018 $108 FORTIFY ASSURA, ELLIPSE ICD Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Oct 19, 2018 $85 LIFEVEST Food and Beverage ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Feb 15, 2018 $40 CONNECTIVITY AND REMOTE CARE Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Dec 3, 2018 $36 ON-X Food and Beverage CRYOLIFE, INC.
Nov 20, 2018 $33 No Listed Product Food and Beverage ANGIODYNAMICS, INC.
Jan 26, 2018 $32 CONNECTIVITY AND REMOTE CARE Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jan 10, 2018 $31 COR KNOT Food and Beverage LSI SOLUTIONS INC
May 30, 2018 $26 AORTIC TISSUE VALVE - PERCEVAL Food and Beverage LIVANOVA USA, INC.
Oct 4, 2018 $21 EPI-SENSE GUIDED COAGULATION SYSTEM WITH VISITRAX, MODELS Food and Beverage ATRICURE, INC.
Aug 28, 2018 $21 INSPIRIS RESILIA AORTIC VALVE Food and Beverage EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Mar 20, 2018 $20 INSPIRIS RESILIA AORTIC VALVE Food and Beverage EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Aug 15, 2018 $19 AORTIC TISSUE VALVE - SOLO SMART Food and Beverage LIVANOVA USA, INC.
Jan 3, 2018 $17 VNS THERAPY Food and Beverage LIVANOVA USA, INC.
Feb 27, 2018 $16 ENDURANT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.

For ease of printing, 20 payments are displayed, the largest appearing on top. For a full list of payments, please visit: https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/doctors/pid/227819

Note: We have made some effort to normalize the data and eliminate duplicates, but the data is primarily as it has been reported by the companies to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. To purchase the normalized data, please visit the ProPublica Data Store. If you spot an error, please let us know at [email protected].

This site includes data published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on June 28, 2019.